Wolfenstein: The New Order won't have multiplayer

Wolfenstein: The New Order will be an exclusively single-player experience, developer MachineGames revealed to GameSpot.

This makes it the first non-mobile Wolfenstein game to not have multiplayer in over two decades. Multiplayer was introduced to the series in 2001's Return to Castle Wolfenstein and was featured in later titles such as 2003's Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory and 2009's Wolfenstein.

So why no multiplayer this time? The Q4 2013 release sounds early in the next gen's launch, so is it being rushed out as a launch title or is there more to the story? Maybe it's a much more narrative-focused game. That might sound unlikely given its blockheaded source material, but the ex-Starbreeze staff at MachineGames managed to spin an a surprisingly engaging yarn out of the forgetable Riddick license. Plus multiplayer was never really Starbreeze's forte anyway.

"Anyone who had the misfortune to try the online gameplay for The Darkness will know that this is not an area where Starbreeze has traditionally excelled," said Dan Whitehead in his The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena review where he added, "The multiplayer feels as though it was included through obligation rather than inspiration, and contributes little of value."